Congratulations to ACF Culinary Team USA for their stellar
performance at the Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup 2010. They
received third place overall with gold medals in the hot-food portion
and cold-food display. USACAT also did well, winning a gold in cold-food
and a bronze in hot-food placing sixth overall. Both teams represented
the United States proudly executing the highest caliber of cooking on a
world stage
National Team Results
1st Singapore
2nd Sweden
3rd USA

The waiting paid off, ACF Culinary Team USA won a gold in cold-food!
They worked all night Monday, Nov. 22, preparing their cold-food display
and had the table set by 5 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 23. Little did they know
it would be more than 24 hours until they found out the results, as the
judging was running late. This added to their anxiety making them wonder
if their competitors were so good, that the judges were having a
difficult time judging.

ACF Culinary Team USA also won a gold medal on Sunday, Nov. 21, in
the hot-food portion. They have attained part of their quest, but they
will have to wait for tomorrow’s closing ceremonies to learn if
they are the Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup 2010 National
Champions. Watch the video of their cold-food display table and
view all the photos.

Meanwhile, USACAT is working diligently preparing their hot-food
portion today, Wednesday, Nov. 24, in the hopes of also getting the
gold. They were awarded a gold for their cold-food display on Saturday,
Nov. 20. They too, share the dream, to be the Villeroy & Boch
Culinary World Cup 2010 Military Champions.

It would be incredible to have ACF Culinary Team USA and USACAT named
the Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup Champions in their
categories. Regardless, they have represented the United States proudly
executing the highest caliber of cooking on a world stage.

ACF Culinary Team USA worked diligently through the night preparing
their cold-food display due at 5 a.m. this morning, Nov. 23. Still on
the adrenaline high from the gold medal they received in hot-food on
Sunday, Nov. 21, the atmosphere in the kitchen was one of extreme
concentration and exhilaration. Pulling the all-nighter was not a
problem for any of them, as they had done it several times in practice
under the guidance of Team Manager Steve Jilleba, CMC, CCE, AAC. They
were so focused on their tasks and ensuring that every element was
executed to perfection, they did not even notice the hours were flying
by. They were on time and all went according to plan. Their goal,
another gold, and ultimately the title of Culinary World Cup
champions.

The competition is fierce, as Canada, Sweden and Switzerland already
received gold in cold-food. They have been anxiously awaiting the
results for more than 12 hours. Unfortunately, the judges are running
behind and the results may not be available until tomorrow. Stay tuned
and look at their incredible cold-food display photos.

USACAT competes tomorrow, Nov. 24, in the hot-food portion. Today,
they are finishing their mise en place, reviewing their plan of action
and checking out the competition. Gold was awarded to England and
Switzerland already, and Sweden, Germany and Hungary, along with USACAT
remain to compete. Good luck USACAT.

ACF Culinary Team USA entered the competition kitchen on Sunday, Nov.
21, ready to show the culinary world that they have what it takes to be
the best of the best. The ACF team flawlessly performed the plan they
had spent endless hours practicing to perfection. The hard-work paid
off, as they successfully mastered their first challenge, taking gold in
the hot-food portion. Congratulations ACF Culinary Team USA!
Unfortunately there was not time to celebrate, as they have the
cold-food display on Tuesday, Nov. 23. Today, you can find them working
diligently on preparing and perfecting their display. It is going to be
a long and busy night.

Kudos to Stafford DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, for his gold in
artistic centerpieces in the individual category!

After successfully taking gold in the cold-food display on Saturday,
Nov. 20, USACAT spent the day organizing for the hot-food portion on
Wednesday, Nov. 23. They reviewed every detail of their menus and
strategy for the umpteenth time, to ensure success. Then, they practiced
and practiced and are still practicing, as practice makes perfect.

Saturday, November 20, 2010: USACAT Medals in Cold-Food and ACF
Culinary Team USA Prepares for Hot-Food

While it was a sleepless night for USACAT, the hours flew by as they
intensely prepared and perfected their cold-food display. Their table
had to be completed for judging no later than 5 a.m. You could hear
their sighs of relief at 5:01 a.m., as they stood back and stared at
their display with admiration and trepidation about what the judges
would think. There was no need for them to worry, as they took the gold.
They did excellent and you could tell the attendees even thought so, as
their table was one of most popular. Congratulations USACAT! They will
compete in the hot-food portion on Wednesday, Nov. 23.

Sunday is a big day for ACF Culinary Team USA, as they compete in the
hot-food portion. They finished up the last of their mise en place in
preparation to compete. Again, every aspect of tomorrow’s game
plan was reviewed, even though everyone, team members and coaches, knew
it by heart down to the miniscule of details. They had prepared
diligently and were ready. Since they compete on Tuesday, Nov. 22, in
the cold-food display, they went ahead and did a trial run and set-up
their table. All went well. Like any smart competitor, they also went to
the show and evaluated their competition. We wish them the best of luck
tomorrow!

Friday, November 19, 2010: ACF Preps for Hot and USACAT Works on
Cold

Excitement is in the air. Less than two days remain before the ACF
team faces its first competition Sunday. Final ingredients were
purchased this morning to ensure absolute freshness in preparing
hot-food dishes. This allows for the fullest and boldest flavors to come
out. The team focused on mise en place for the remainder of the day,
before attending the opening ceremony. The ceremony had representation
from more than 50 countries.

While the ACF team is prepping for the hot-food competition, the
USACAT team is feverishly working on its cold-food display. All exhibits
must be brought to the hall by 5 a.m. Central European Time Friday
morning, and the table display must be ready for judging at 8 a.m.
Needless to say, the USACAT team will be working through the night.

Thursday, November 18, 2010: Shopping Day

Designated the shopping day, the ACF team spent the morning at the
acclaimed La Provençale market to purchase the needed food for the
competition. It is important to have the freshest of ingredients. The
team was finally allowed into the kitchen that afternoon and you could
feel the adrenalin of each team member beginning to escalate.
Preparations for Sunday’s hot-food portion began that evening with
one thought in everyone’s mind, perfection to win the coveted
Culinary World Cup. Opening ceremonies are tomorrow.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010: Arrival Day

ACF Culinary
Team USA members arrived in Luxembourg in high spirits to represent
the U.S.A. alongside the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team (USACAT). Both
teams have been preparing, mentally and physically, to compete against
some of the best chefs in the world. USACAT, competing in the military
category, is the first up with the cold-food display on Saturday, Nov.
20, followed by the hot-food portion on Wednesday, Nov. 24. ACF Culinary
Team USA, competing in the national category, has the hot-food portion
on Sunday, Nov. 21 and the cold-food display on Tuesday, Nov. 23.

ACF Culinary Team USA spent the day acclimating themselves to the
time change, as Luxembourg is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time,
and began unpacking their supplies shipped over earlier. Equipment was
checked, food was inventoried and menus were reviewed.

Expogast-Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup 2010

The Expogast-Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup
2010 is an international World Association of Chefs (WACS)
Societies-endorsed culinary competition organized by the Vatel-Club
Luxembourg. This international competition ranks second on the worldwide
scale behind the Internationale Kochkunst
Ausstellung International Culinary Art Competition, also known as
the “culinary Olympics.”

Competing this year are 25 national teams, 10
national military teams, 10 national junior teams, 10 collective
catering teams and many individual chefs and confectioners. An
international judging panel of chefs from across the world
will judge the various works and award bronze, silver and gold medals to
those that exemplify culinary ingenuity and excellence. The best teams
in each category will receive the Culinary World Cup.